Protective cover for laptop computer

Abstract

A protective cover for an electronic device including a shell having upright sides that position the electronic device within the shell, a first slot and a second slot formed in the upright sides of the shell, a removable locking clip selectively coupled to the upright sides and including a first flange and a second flange that are receivable within the first slot and the second slot, respectively, a first hole extending through a portion of the upright sides, and a second hole extending through a portion of the upright sides. The removable locking clip overlaps a first portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A protective cover for an electronic device, the protective cover comprising:
 a shell including upright sides that extend around at least a portion of a periphery of the shell, wherein the upright sides are configured to position the electronic device within the shell; 
 a first slot and a second slot formed in the upright sides of the shell; 
 a removable locking clip configured to be coupled to the upright sides and including a first flange and a second flange that are receivable within the first slot and the second slot, respectively; 
 a first hole extending from the first slot through a portion of the upright sides, wherein the first hole is configured to receive a first screw; and 
 a second hole extending from the second slot through a portion of the upright sides, wherein the second hole is configured to receive a second screw, 
 wherein the removable locking clip overlaps a first portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively, and 
 wherein, when the electronic device is received within the shell and the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively, the shell is inhibited from being separated from the electronic device when the first screw is received within the first hole and engaged with the first flange, and the second screw is received within the second hole and engaged with the second flange. 
 
     
     
       2. The protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein the first hole defines a first axis and the second hole defines a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
       3. The protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein the removable locking clip includes a body portion configured to capture the first portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively, and wherein the first flange extends from a first end of the body portion and the second flange extends from a second opposite end of the body portion. 
     
     
       4. The protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the electronic device is a corner of the electronic device, and wherein the corner is disposed between the first flange and the second flange when the electronic device is received within the shell and the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively. 
     
     
       5. The protective cover of  claim 4 , wherein the removable locking clip is a first removable locking clip, wherein the protective cover further includes
 a second removable locking clip having a third flange and a fourth flange, and 
 a third slot and fourth slot formed in the upright sides, 
 wherein the second removable locking clip overlaps a second portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the third and fourth flanges are received within the third and fourth slots, respectively. 
 
     
     
       6. The protective cover of  claim 5 , further comprising a third hole extending from the third slot through a portion of the upright sides, wherein the third hole is configured to receive a third screw, and a fourth hole extending from the fourth slot through a portion of the upright sides, wherein the fourth hole is configured to receive a fourth screw. 
     
     
       7. The protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second flanges of the removable locking clip include a protrusion that engages a shoulder formed in each of the first and second slots when the first and second flanges are received within the first and second slots, respectively. 
     
     
       8. A protective cover for an electronic device, the protective cover comprising:
 a shell including upright wall sections configured to extend around at least a first portion of the electronic device; 
 a plurality of slots disposed along the upright wall sections, each of the plurality of slots communicating with a respective hole of a plurality of holes extending through the upright wall sections; and 
 a removable locking clip having a body portion, a first flange, and a second flange, wherein the first and second flanges are receivable within a pair of slots of the plurality of slots, 
 wherein the first flange and the second flange are both disposed between the upright wall sections and the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell, and 
 wherein the body portion overlaps a second portion of the electronic device to inhibit the electronic device from being removed from the shell when the electronic device is received within the shell and the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
 
     
     
       9. The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second flanges of the removable locking clip includes a protrusion, wherein a shoulder is formed in each of the first and second slots, and wherein the protrusions of the first and second flanges engage the shoulders formed in the first and second slots, respectively, when the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
     
     
       10. The protective cover of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners receivable within the plurality of holes, wherein the plurality of fasteners is engageable with the first flange and the second flange to fixedly couple the removable locking clip to the shell. 
     
     
       11. The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the electronic device is a corner of the electronic device, and wherein the corner is disposed between the first flange and the second flange when the electronic device is received within the shell and the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
     
     
       12. The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the removable clip is a first removable clip, and the protective cover further includes a second removable clip having a body portion, a third flange, and a fourth flange, wherein the body portion of the second removable clip overlaps a third portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the second removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
     
     
       13. The protective cover of  claim 12 , wherein the third flange and the fourth flange are both disposed between the upright wall sections and the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the second removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
     
     
       14. The protective cover of  claim 12 , wherein the third portion of the electronic device is a corner of the electronic device, and wherein the corner is disposed between the third flange and the fourth flange when the electronic device is received within the shell and the second removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
     
     
       15. The protective cover of  claim 12 , wherein the third and fourth flanges are receivable within another pair of slots of the plurality of slots. 
     
     
       16. A protective cover for an electronic device, the protective cover comprising:
 a shell including an upright wall section that forms a cavity configured to receive the electronic device; 
 a plurality of slots disposed along the upright wall section, each of the plurality of slots defining a slot axis; 
 a removable locking clip having a first flange and a second flange, wherein each of the first and second flanges is receivable within a respective slot of the plurality of slots along the slot axis; 
 a plurality of holes extending through the upright wall section along a direction perpendicular to the slot axis, wherein each of the plurality of holes extends from one of the plurality of slots through the upright wall section and is configured to receive a fastener, 
 wherein the first flange and the second flange are disposed between the upright wall section the electronic device when the electronic device is received within the shell and the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell, and 
 wherein the fastener is configured to fixedly couple the removable locking clip to the shell to inhibit the electronic device from being separated from the shell when the electronic device is received within the shell and the removable locking clip is coupled to the shell. 
 
     
     
       17. The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic device is configured to be inserted into the cavity along a direction parallel to the slot axis. 
     
     
       18. The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein the fastener is a threaded screw. 
     
     
       19. The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second flanges of the removable locking clip include a protrusion that engages a shoulder formed in each of the plurality of slots when the removable locking clip is coupled to the upright wall section. 
     
     
       20. The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is formed as a cutout in the upright wall section.